As NHL draft opens, Rangers remain quiet

The Rangers stayed quiet Friday night during the NHL Draft’s first round in Buffalo, but plenty of other teams’ GMs got busy trading after the Toronto Maple Leafs selected American center Auston Matthews first overall.

The Montreal Canadiens dealt center Lars Eller to Washington for the Capitals’ second-round picks in 2017 and 2018, and also shipped two picks in Saturday’s second round (No. 39 & 45) to Chicago for Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw.

The St. Louis Blues traded goalie Brian Elliott to Calgary for the Flames’ 35th overall pick in Saturday’s second round and a conditional 2018 third-round pick.

And the Detroit Red Wings poised themselves to take a run at this year’s top free agent, Tampa Bay Lightning goal scorer Steven Stamkos, by unloading the contract of veteran Pavel Datsyuk – who is returning home to Russia with a year remaining on his deal – in a package to the Arizona Coyotes.

The Rangers were without a first-round pick for the fourth straight year and didn’t swing any deals, but that didn’t mean GM Jeff Gorton was sitting idle. The Daily News has learned Gorton looked into potential suitors for either or both of defensemen Dan Girardi and Marc Staal, according to a source, prior to the draft.

Both players own no-move clauses to block any trade, and it is not believed the team has asked Girardi or Staal to waive their clauses. But Gorton wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t feel out fits around the league to move some of his pricier assets.

Cost is a concern with the salary cap rising only from $71.4 million to $73 million. So it should be music to the Rangers’ ears that while Kevin Shattenkirk’s price tag is in the $7 million-per-year range, the Daily News has learned that the St. Louis Blues defenseman would take a discount on any extension signed with the Rangers.

The story of the draft was the record 12 American players selected in the first round, and six in the top 15, including a whopping five out of the St. Louis youth hockey system.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski even got excited on Twitter when one of the Americans, Matthew Tkachuk – son of former NHLer Keith Tkachuk – was compared to the physical Gronkowski’s style upon his selection by Calgary at six overall.

A record three Finnish players also were selected in the top five, led by right wing Patrik Laine at No. 2 to Winnipeg. Three Finns had never even gone in the top 10.

The New Jersey Devils moved back one slot in the first round from No. 11 in a trade with Ottawa – also acquiring the Senators’ 80th overall (third-round) pick – and selected Canadian center Michael McLeod (6-2, 185 pounds) of the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads at 12.

The Islanders selected goal scorer Kieffer Bellows, son of former NHLer Brian Bellows, at No. 19. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy, a Long Beach, N.Y., native, went at No. 14 to the Boston Bruins.